Oar-lock



J. s. LOFBERG & A. M'oINTOSH.

(No Model.)

OAR LOOK.

No. 588,455. Patented Aug. 17, 1897.

' UNITE STATES PATENT Orrrcs.

JOHN s. LOFBERG'AND ANGUS MOINTOSH, or LA PRAIRIE, MINNESOTA.

OAR-LOCK.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 588,455, dated August 17, 1897. Application filed December 9, 1896. Serial No. 614,990. (No model.)

' enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make'and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this'specification.

Our invention relates to rowlocks, and its object is to provide an improved construction of the same which can be-readily attached to any point desired on the gunwale of a row-boat or skiff and in which also the fork which receives the oar can be adjusted laterallyto allow the person rowing to get a better purchase on the oar.

It is also an object to provide improved,

means for connecting the shank of the fork with its socket, whereby there is no liability of accidental disengagement.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts 'hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying'drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rowlock constructed in accordance with our invention.

3- is a detail view showing the groove in the stem of the fork.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral l designates a metal plate provided with two downwardly-depending flanges 2, which embrace the gunwale of the boat to which the rowlock is to be attached. One of these plates is provided with a screw threaded aperture,through which passes a th umb-screw 8, having pivoted to its inner end a clamping plate 4:, which presses against one side of the boat toclamp the rowlock to the gunwale.

Pivotedto end of the plate 1 is an outwardly-extending arm 2, provided at the outer ends with two apertured lugs 5, between which is located an apertured lug 6 on the outer end of an arm '7, provided with an elongated slot 8. A screw 9 passes through this slot and is provided with a thumb-nut 10. Located in the apertures in said lugs and secured to the lugs 5 is a socket 12, provided Fig. 2 is a central transverse section of the same. Fig.

on its inner side with a rib or projection 13. This socket forms a pivot for the arm 7.

The numeral 14: designates the fork with which the car engages provided with a cylindrical stem or shank 15, which is inserted in said socket and is rotatable therein. At its lower end this stem or shank is provided with a spiral groove 16, with which the rib 13 engages to hold the stem in place in the socket.

The numeral'1'7 designates a socket at the inner side of plate 1 to receive an ordinary rowlock, if desired, in which case the arms and rowlock above described are removed.

The manner of using the device is as follows: The fork and arms are connected with the plate 1, as above described, and the stem of the fork is connected with the socket by turning the fork so that it will be at a right angle to the plane of the boat and then inserting the stem in the socket. -In this position the rib 13 will coincide with the end of the groove in the stem, and by turning the latter and the fork half-way round the rib will engage with the said groove and prevent the stem from twisting out of the socket, yet allowing it to freely oscillate during the act of rowing. In case it is desired to adjust the fork inward or outward to accommodate the oar to the rower the thumb-nut 10 is loosened, when the arm 7 may be moved in or out, as the case may be, the other arm turning on its pivot, so that the fork will be brought nearer to or farther from the gunwale.

By means of the flanges 2 and the thumbscrew and clamping-plate therowlock can be readily secured to the gunwale and ad-- justed to any point thereon desired or found convenient.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim is 1. In a rowlock, the combination with the plate formed with depending flanges and the thumb-screw and clamping-plate, of the arm pivoted to one end of said plate provided at the outer end with a socket, the arm pivoted to said socket, having a slot therein, the screw passing through the other end of said plate and through said slot, and provided with a thu1nbnut, and the fork provided with a stem Working in said socket, substantially as described.

2. In a rowlock, the combination with the plate, the out-wardlyextending adjustable arms, and the socket formed with a rib on its inner side, of the fork, and the stem formed therewith provided with a spiral groove with which said rib engages, substantially as described.

3. In a rowlock, the combination with the plate formed with a socket, the depending flanges, the thumb-screw and clam pin g-plate, of the adjustable arms one of which is pivoted to said plate while the other is formed with a slot, the screw passing through said slot, the thumb-nut engaging therewith, the

apertured lugs at the outer ends of said arms, the socket formed with an interior rib, the fork, and the stem formed with a spiral groove with which said rib engages, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereunto affixed our signa- 20 tnres in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. LOFBERG. AN lrUS MCINTOSII. Witnesses:

FRANK F. PRICE, FANNIE M. LESTER. 

